Miracle on Revello Drive
by HilsK
Summary: Dawn wants the gang back together for Christmas and will do anything to get it. Post-Wrecked. B/S


Title: Miracle on Revello Drive 

Author: Hilary

Rating: PG

Spoilers: Post-Wrecked

Dedication: To Jess from your Secret Spike. Merry Christmas, pet.

Summery: Dawn decides what she wants for Christmas and will do anything to get it

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

_Friday 21st December_

Dear Diary

Buffy has decided she's going to be mom this year, she's planning on cooking a full Christmas meal, turkey and everything. I told her she didn't have to but she insisted. I guess maybe it helps her feel like she's settling back in. She asked me what I wanted for Christmas. I know money isn't an issue now that the Council have started paying her so that she can carry on with the Slaying, but the truth is I have pretty much everything I want. Buffy is back, something I never imagined would happen and I don't think I could ask for any more. Except one thing.

I want the gang back, like it was before Giles left, like it was before Willow and Tara broke up. I miss the togetherness of it all. I miss Spike too, he hasn't been round since he and Buffy had that fight. She must think I'm stupid. She says they didn't have a fight but she gets all tense and twitchy whenever I mention his name. She's more or less stopped me from going to see him too. I'm not allowed out by myself after dark and since he sleeps during the day its pretty much the same thing.

Maybe I could try and get everyone together for this meal. It is Christmas after all, a time for togetherness. Even if it's just a big uncomfortable silence at least I'll have tried, right? I'm going to do it.

_Saturday 22nd December_

Dear Diary

Well, clearly great minds think alike. I called Giles today, thinking I'd nag and plead until he agreed to come and stay with us for Christmas. It turns out he's already bought a ticket and was planning on surprising us. I could have hugged him when he told me. He made me promise not to tell Buffy, which is fine; I was planning on surprising her anyway.

Xander and Anya were easy to convince. Xander still feels bad about not spending enough time with Buffy since she came back, and all I had to do was tell Anya that she wouldn't need to do any cooking or cleaning and she agreed too. 

Willow's going to be here of course, so now all I need to do is convince Tara to come.

_Sunday 23rd December_

Dear Diary

I spoke to Tara today, laid it on nice and thick. I told her about everything that had happened. How Willow had got addicted to magic but how the car accident had shocked her into seeking help. I told her how she's been going cold turkey since then, not using any magic at all. When I said she really needed to have a friend around her Tara caved and she's going to come for the meal tomorrow. This is great; everyone is coming apart from Spike. I figured I'd leave him til last as he's going to be the hardest one to convince. 

Still, I've got this far; I'm not about to fail now.

_Monday 24th December_

Dawn awoke to the smell of cooking wafting up the stairs. Clearly Buffy had decided to make an early start which was good, it would keep her distracted while the rest of the gang got together. It would also give her he chance to sneak out and see Spike later.

Once she had showered and dressed she ventured into the kitchen to see how Buffy was doing. It didn't look good. There was a variety of ingredients, pots and pans spread all over the place and in the centre of the room Buffy stood looking more than a little stressed.

"You need some help?" Dawn asked hesitantly. 

Her sister turned to face her, a look on her face that told Dawn to get out of the kitchen and stay out. She slowly backed away until she was out of the room, deciding it was definitely best to just leave Buffy to it. Still, there was the house to decorate and since she'd been banished from the kitchen she may as well make herself useful. They'd been out and bought a tree a few days ago and the box of trimmings was on the floor. She began to sort everything out.

* * *

Half an hour later Willow wandered downstairs and into the kitchen, making a hasty retreat when she met hurricane Buffy. Dawn saw this as the perfect opportunity for her to make her peace and invited her to help trim the tree. With a smile Willow knelt down beside her and the two of them began to sort through the box.

* * *

Xander and Anya were the first to arrive and after being warned that the kitchen was a no-go area they joined in with the decorating. Willow and Dawn had already made a start on the tree so Xander and Anya made a start on unravelling the lights, which were going to go outside.

* * *

Tara arrived next and Dawn saw this as her cue. She invited Tara to take over from her with the tree trimming so that she could 'run an errand'. Tara agreed and Dawn grabbed her coat, leaving the two witches alone. She just hoped that is would be enough for them to sort themselves out. Still, she had other things to do.

* * *

As Dawn entered Spike's crypt she felt a little guilty about what she was going to do. Spike had been a good friend to her while Buffy had been gone and she didn't want to ruin that friendship. On the other hand if her plan worked he and Buffy would be friends again by the end of the day, and that would make him happy.

Climbing down the ladder she ran over to his bed and shook him roughly.

"Spike, wake up."

No response. She shook him harder. "Spike!"

This time his eyes opened and he blinked sleepily at her. 

"Dawn?"

She tugged urgently on his arm, forcing him to sit up. "You have to come over to the house, Buffy needs your help."

He rubbed the sleep from his eyes, sighing as Dawn's words sank in. "I don't think your sis wants me around, 'bit. I'm pretty sure she doesn't need my help, and wouldn't accept it even if she did."

Dawn wasn't listening, instead she gathered up his clothes and threw them at him. "Please, Spike. You're the only one that can help her."

He wanted to say no, that he was sick of being knocked down by Buffy. But even as the thoughts went through his head he was pulling his clothes on. Buffy was in trouble and needed him; even if she rejected him yet again afterwards he couldn't just sit by and let something happen to her.

"I'll need to use the tunnels." He said as he pulled his duster on. "Go back to the house and I'll meet you there."

With a nod she climbed the ladder and hurried home, she needed to warn the others that Spike was coming and to tell them to go along with what she was doing.

* * *

Dawn had barely finished explaining herself to the others when the door to the house burst open and Spike hurried in, small wisps of smoke drifting up from his body.

"Where is she?" He panted, scanning the room and seeing no sign of her. He'd run all the way from his crypt, imagining dozens of terrible things that could be happening to Buffy.

"She's in the kitchen." Dawn replied, standing up and walking over to the room. Spike hurried over and ran in.

"Slayer, are you...." He stopped, looked around for a demon or some other sort of threat and then looked back at Buffy. The Slayer was busy trying to stir several pans at the same time, and also keep an eye on the turkey.

"Get out." Was all she said, barely looking at Spike.

He turned to Dawn who was still stood behind him. "I thought you said Buffy was in danger."

She shrugged. "I said she needed help, and she does. Look at this place. See ya."

Before he could argue she'd disappeared back into the living room. 

He thought about leaving until it occurred to him that this might be his last chance to at least try and make his peace with her. He didn't regret what he'd said to her, he was tired of being used and then cast aside. But the truth was he missed her, if he could just make her see that there was more to him than the demon. That she had no need to be ashamed of what they'd done, that he still loved her even if she wasn't fully human.

"Need a hand with anything?" He asked softly, bracing himself for yet another rejection.

Buffy snorted. "Like you know how to cook."

Spike couldn't help but grin, it hadn't been the direct 'no' he'd been expecting. "I can actually, there used to be a cookery programme on before Passions. You'll be amazed what you can learn from TV. For example, if you keep stirring that sauce like that it's going to go lumpy."

A range of emotions played across her features. She wanted this meal to be perfect, to show Dawn and the others that she was coping. She really didn't want anyone's help, least of all Spike's, but if the meal got ruined then it would achieve nothing.

"Fine." She sighed, stepping back from the sauce. "You can help."

Spike smiled, took off his duster and draped it over one of the stools. "Ok, you sort out the veg and I'll tackle the meat."

* * *

Dawn glanced at her watch and then at the kitchen. They'd been in there a while now and it was very quiet.

"What if she's dusted him?" She whispered to herself.

"We can only hope." Xander grumbled, not looking up from where he was testing the bulbs for the fairy lights.

Panicking Dawn jumped to her feet, hoping she wasn't responsible for getting Spike killed. Peering around the corner she was stunned to see a flurry of activity happening. Buffy was frantically chopping up some potatoes while Spike was busy checking the turkey to see if it was ready.

"About another half an hour." Spike announced. "Which should mean that's it ready about the same time as the veg."

Buffy nodded as she dumped the potatoes in a pan of water. "Is there anything else we need to do?"

"I think we've got it all covered. Nice work, pet."

Dawn almost squealed when Buffy flashed him a smile, instead she went back into the living room and informed the others that Spike remained undusty.

* * *

Buffy sighed and sat wearily on one of the barstools, accepting a glass of water from Spike with a grateful smile.

"I never imagined that cooking would be such hard work. They should put something like this in the Slayer training programme, I'm exhausted."

Spike grinned. "Yeah, I can just imagine those stuffy Watcher's teaching their Slayers how to boil eggs."

Buffy laughed, she couldn't help it. It almost felt strange, she couldn't remember the last time she'd laughed about anything, and the irony was that yet again it was Spike. He was always seemed to be there for her when she needed him, and this was something she'd taken for granted, just as she had with Giles. Well, this time it was going to be different. It was time for her to swallow her pride.

"Spike...I....I'm sorry."

He seemed genuinely stunned by this but before he could open his mouth to speak she raised her hand to stop him.

"Just let me finish. We've both said some pretty bad things to each other recently, mainly because we were hurting. I realise that most of what you said to me came from the fact that I treated you like crap. You've been there for me and Dawn for a long time now, and to be honest it freaked me out a little. You're supposed to be evil, a soulless monster, but instead you fall in love with me and adopt Dawn like she was your own sister. I guess, I just wanted to say sorry for what I said, thank you for everything you've done and that you're welcome in my house any time."

It all came out in such a rush that Spike couldn't be sure that's he'd actually heard her. She was actually apologising to him.

"You don't have to be sorry, pet. We fight; it's what we do. Don't think it would be the same if we didn't bicker all the time."

Buffy smiled and shook her head. "I'm tired of fighting Spike, can't we be friends? I know you want more than that, but I just don't think I'm ready yet."

He forced a smile, clinging to the fact that at least she had used the word 'yet'. Maybe in time their friendship would grow into something more. "Ok, pet, friends with potential. I can deal with that."

Buffy smiled again, climbed to her feet and pulled him into a hug. It was tender, with none of the heat and passion that their last embrace had held. Spike wasn't used to it, none of his relationships had ever involved tenderness like this. It was nice, in a weird non-vampiric sort of way.

After a few minutes Buffy pulled back. "We'd better check on the food."

Spike nodded and the moved over to their separate parts of the kitchen. 

"Just about done here." Spike announced after examining the turkey.

"Same." Buffy replied, taking the potatoes off the stove. She poked her head around into the living room.

"Dawn, can you set the table, dinner's nearly ready."

"It's already done." Willow replied with a smile. "Tara and I did it."

Buffy was amazed to see that the two Wiccan's were holding hands. She nodded her head in thanks and disappeared back into the kitchen.

"I think Willow and Tara made up." 

"Good." Spike replied, not looking up from where he was placing the food into various different dishes. "Red needs someone level headed like Tara to keep her on the straight and narrow."

Buffy nodded, helping him to carry the dishes through to the dining room. One it was all set the two of them made their way into the living room.

"Dinner is served." Buffy announced with a smile, turning to head back.

"Wait!" Dawn called, trying hard to resist the urge to grin. "Look up."

Buffy and Spike did as they were asked and saw a small piece of mistletoe hanging from the ceiling.

"You guys have got to kiss." Dawn added, as if they needed instructions. 

Xander jumped to his feet, not liking the way this was going at all. "Come on Dawn, they don't have to."

"It's not like I'm asking them to make out on the floor or anything." Dawn argued. "It's just a kiss, besides, it's tradition."

"It's stupid. Expecting two people to kiss just because they're stood under a green plant. I don't know who came up with that idea but they should be...."

His words trailed off and his eyes widened as he spotted Buffy and Spike kissing, clearly having ignored the entire argument. Dawn smiled with satisfaction; the final part of her plan was coming together nicely. 

The kiss went on for a few minutes, the couple clearly lost in each other and none of the others knowing what to say. They finally parted when there was a knock at the door.

"I'll get it." Buffy said, shooting Spike a small smile. "You guys go and make a start on the food."

As the rest of them headed into the dining room Buffy opened the door and almost fainted with shock.

"Hello Buffy." Giles smiled. "Merry Christmas."

Before he could get another word out Buffy had thrown herself into his arms and was hugging him tightly. His arms wrapped around her as he was struck by just how much he'd missed her, maybe coming back hadn't been such a good idea, because he wasn't sure he'd ever be able to bring himself to leave again.

Finally Buffy pulled back and smiled. "You're just in time for dinner. I cooked."

She seemed so proud of herself and Giles couldn't help but see that she was definitely standing on her own once again. 

"It smells delicious." Giles said as Buffy took his coat and hung it up. The two of them made their way into the dining room where the rest of the gang was sat waiting.

"Giles!" Willow exclaimed, jumping up from her seat. "You're back."

"Just visiting actually. Couldn't let you spend Christmas without me."

Smiles were exchanged all round as Giles took a seat and Buffy poured him a drink. Then she stood up at the head of the table so that she was facing the whole group.

"I know you're all probably starving but I just wanted to say a few words since we're all together. The last few months have been really tough, not just on me but on all of you too. I know I've been difficult to live with, but I just wanted to thank you for being supportive."

"You don't need to thank us." Xander said quietly. "It's our fault you suffered in the first place."

Buffy smiled. "You didn't know, its ok. I had trouble dealing but I think I'm finally ready to move on, I don't think I could have coped if you guys hadn't been there to help. So I just wanted to say thanks, I love you all, and enjoy your meal."

As she sat down the rest of the gang smiled before making a start on the food, even Spike who despite not needing to eat, wanted to try what he'd helped to cook.

The silence that fell over the table while they all ate told Buffy just how good it was.

* * *

"Man, I'm stuffed." Xander groaned as he flopped down into one of the chairs. Several groans from the rest of the gang were the only reply he got.

"I feel fine." Spike replied, and got an elbow in the ribs from Buffy who was curled up beside him on the couch.

"Just because human food doesn't fill you up, there's no need to rub it in with the rest of us."

Spike smiled and began to gently rub her stomach. "Poor Slayer, you're going to turn into a right porker after all that."

"Am not." She pouted. "Slayer's are gifted with a high metabolism. I'll be fine after I've had a nap."

"Here here!" Anya replied, struggling to her feet. "Anyone else in favour of a nap?"

Xander groaned in reply and stood beside his fiancée. "I'm down with that. Buff, you want us to help clean up or anything?"

"HEY!" Anya argued. "Dawn said that if we came over we wouldn't have to cook or clean."

Buffy glared at her sister with mock anger before turning back to the others. "It's ok, guys. Since Dawn said you wouldn't have to do anything, I think I just found a nice little job for her."

As Anya sighed in relief Dawn pouted, she might have known there'd be repercussions for trying to make everyone happy.

Giles was the next to stand. "I should head back to my hotel."

Buffy threw herself into his arms one more, hugging him again. "Will you come back tomorrow. I don't want you to spend Christmas on your own."

He smiled. "Of course I will. Buffy, the dinner was wonderful, I'm so proud of you."

He pulled her into another hug and made his way to the door, heading out with Xander and Anya. Once they were gone Willow and Tara stood both looking a little uncomfortable.

"Buffy." Willow began. "Tara and I have a few things to talk about. I'm going to head over to hers for a while...unless you want me to stay and help."

"We've got it, Red." Spike replied from the couch. "You two go kiss and make up."

The two witches glanced at each other and smiled shyly before grabbing their coats and heading out. Once the door had closed Buffy turned to face Spike.

"We?"

He shrugged. "I helped make the mess, figured I'd help cleaning it up. Unless you want me to bugger off of course, I'm quite happy to leave you girls to it."

He and Buffy both stood and she grabbed hold of his arm as he turned to leave. "Oh, no you don't. You're not getting away that easily. I'll wash, you and Dawn can dry."

It was then that she noticed that they were alone in the room. Clearly the words 'washing up' had scared her away. Buffy sighed.

"Has she been taking stealth lessons from you? Maybe she's the one that should be wearing a bell."

Spike grinned as the two of them made their way into the kitchen and Buffy groaned when she saw the piles of dishes waiting to be cleaned. 

"Remind me not to do this again in a hurry."

Spike began to move the dishes over to the sink. "Well, you've got a year before you have to do it again, that's plenty of preparation time."

He stopped when he felt Buffy's hand on top of his. "Spike, can we talk for a minute."

He sighed and turned to face her. "Sure."

"About that kiss....I'm sorry, I shouldn't have. I mean it was nice, but I told you I wasn't ready and kissing you is just confusing me, and probably you too and-"

She was cut off as he pulled her into his arms and kissed her gently. "You don't have to be sorry. Look, I love you and we both know it. It seems to me that you're doing everything you can to fight this, why don't you just relax, let things run their course and see what happens. If things don't work out then fine, but you'll never know if you keep running from it."

She pulled out of his arms and focused her attention on her feet. "I wish it was that simple, Spike. That I could just forget that fact that ever man I have ever loved, from my dad through to Riley have walked out on me. If we do give things a shot, one or both of us is just going to wind up getting hurt."

Spike shook his head and took a small step towards her, reaching out to stroke her cheek. "You know I can't make any guarantees that things will work out between us, but if you spend the rest of your life hiding from love then you may as well still be dead."

Buffy flinched at his words, but saw the truth behind them. She couldn't go on like this forever, and here before her was a man who knew and understood her better than anyone she had ever met before. He was her equal both in strength and spirit and she had a feeling that if it didn't work with him she'd spend the rest of her life single.

Finally she raised her eyes to meet his and smiled. "Alright, lets give it a shot."

Spike almost had to ask her to say it again; she was really willing to give him a chance. He'd thought it would take more persuading than that. He pulled her into his arms once more and they shared a long and lingering kiss. 

They parted so Buffy could get her breath back and Spike grinned. "Now to top off that wonderfully romantic moment we're going to do the dishes."

Buffy smiled. "How fast do you think we can get them done? After all, you're a vampire and I'm the slayer, we're supposed to have super speed."

Spike grabbed a towel and Buffy picked up a cloth. "Let's find out shall we?"

* * *

Two hours later the couple staggered back into the living room and collapsed on the couch.

"I had no idea I owned that many dishes." Buffy groaned. "Next year we're using plastic plates and paper cups."

"Good plan." Came a muffled reply from Spike who had buried his face in her shoulder. "Plastic cutlery too."

Not having the strength to do anything else Buffy picked up the TV remote and had a quick look to see what was showing. Miracle on 34th Street

"They show this every year." She complained. "You would have thought there'd be enough Christmas movies out there that they could show something different once in a while."

When no answer came she glanced down to see Spike sleeping soundly, his head resting on her shoulder. With a tender smile she reached out and ran her hand over his cheek before kissing his forehead and turning her attention back to the movie.

* * *

_Tuesday 25th December_

It was still dark when Dawn crept down the stairs to place her gift to Buffy under the tree. She'd stayed in her room all afternoon to give Buffy and Spike some privacy and had eventually fallen asleep.

As she wandered into the living room she stopped and smiled. The TV was playing softly in the background, and on the couch lay Buffy and Spike, the vampire holding the Slayer close to him. Both were sleeping soundly with small, contented smiles on their faces.

As quietly as she could dawn switched off the tv and draped a blanket over the sleeping couple. Spike sighed and drew Buffy closer to him, causing her smile to widen a little.

As Dawn placed her gift to Buffy under the tree, she knew that all three of them already had what they wanted.

The End


End file.
